Fabric conditioning compositions are used to render laundered fabrics smooth to touch and reduce their static cling. The active component in the preponderant number of these compositions is a quaternary ammonium compound. Such quaternary ammonium compounds may be represented by the general formula (R.sub.1 R.sub.2 R.sub.3 R.sub.4 N.sup.30)X.sup.- where R.sub.1, R.sub.2 represent alkyl groups having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, R.sub.3 represents an alkyl group having 12 to 20 carbon atoms, and R.sub.4 is chosen from the group consisting of phenyl groups, alkyl groups having 1 to 3 carbon atoms and alkyl groups having 12 to 20 carbon atoms, and where the anion X.sup.- represents chloride, bromide, nitrate, bisulfate, acetate, methylsulfate and ethylsulfate. Typical of this class of compounds would be distearyldimethyl ammonium chloride, stearyltrimethyl ammonium chloride, etc.
The quaternary ammonium compound is normally mixed with a diluent comprising a mixture of a short chain aliphatic alcohol (typically isopropanol) and water (in the proportions ranging from about 4:1 to about 3:1) to form a base mix having a approximately 75% concentration of the compound prior to shipping.
The base mix normally has a high viscosity at operating temperatures, and with a drop in temperature often becomes impossible to pump. This has required the construction of temperature-controlled storage areas to maintain the mix in a fluid state. Despite such measures, which entail some inconvenience, it is often found that upon standing for a period of time (about 2-3 weeks) the base mix has separated into various phases, with a crystalline phase adhering to the container walls. This crystalline phase is hard to remove and not only presents a handling problem to the user but results in a great deal of wastage of a relatively expensive chemical.
Addition of larger quantities of the isopropanol can render the base mix more flowable. However, the formation of the crystalline phase is not inhibited and such an addition, while decreasing the activity of the mix will augment its flammability thereby increasing the fire hazard in handling. Additionally the cost of shipping a given amount of the compound will be increased due to the increased volume of the diluent. On the other hand, if the proportion of water in the diluent component is increased, the base mix will form a gel. Clearly then, merely increasing the proportion of the diluent component does not provide a satisfactory solution to this problem.
Attempts to overcome this problem have been made by synthesizing a new series of quaternary ammonium compounds (Canadian Pat. No. 733,527) which are quite soluble in short chain aliphatic alcohols. However, it is believed that the problem of rendering pumpable the commonly used quaternary ammonium compounds still lacks a satisfactory solution.
Accordingly it is the object of this invention to provide an easily manipulated base mix for a conditioning composition containing a quaternary ammonium compound.